Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-10

Charged with Theft
RoBBERIEs OF MANY LETTERS INTENDED FOR COLLEGE
sruDgSTs-A LONG INVESTIGATION ENDING N TnH
AKKEsT or JAMES G. ErIAsoN
For many months there have been complaints at
the city posr-ofice that letters sent through the
post-oflce at West Washington had never been De.
livered. These letters reported missing were as .
rule letters addressed 20 students at Georgetown
College, containing remittances OF money For q
long time the posi-ofnce authorities were unable
TO get proof that would justify them
in making an arrest Yesterday, however,
James c. Eiiason, the assistant superintendent OF
the West Washington branch. was put under ar
rest by Post-Onice Inspectors Smith and Troy.
Two decoy letters addressed to John H. o'Neal, q
student at the college, were put In the mail at the
city post-office and sent 20 the West Washington
branch at O'Clock yesterday. One OF these letters
contained ive 81 bills, marked so that they could
lege mad obtained the mail for the college the in
spectors went 70 the college and found that but
one OF the decoy letters had been delivered the one
containing the s. being missing.
FINDING TIE MARKED MONEY.
With this knowledge the inspectors went to the
branch post-office and after a consultation with
Mrs. Blackboard, the superintendent, asked Kliason
70 produce the letter. Eliason denied having the
letter. They thereupon had him empty his pockets
and found In his possession three OF the marke 4
one-doliar bills besides letter addressed TO an-
other person which was unopened and apparently
contained money. In the stove they saw the
ter, which they believed WAS the one
that had contained the marked money.
One OF the marked dollar bills was found In the
cash drawer. Eliasan stoutly asserted his tnno-
cence. He said that some one had pad In the DOL
lar bills for stamps He accounted for having them
lars from the drawer 70 buy theaser tickets with.
He did not know how the letter found In his pos
session got into his pocket.
RELEASED on BAH.
He was taken by the inspectors before United
States Commissioner Mills and waived an exami-
nation. Later he was released on 81 500 bail fur.
nished by Mr.. NJ. J. Adler. Eliason Is tall, and
good-looking, about forty years Old, and has been
Well thought OF In West Washington. He was APP
pointed by Postmaster Edmunds. When, several
months ago, an investigation or the complaints
that letters had been stolen or rined was be
gun, Eliason helped In the Investigation and
no suspicion was then attached TO him.
ment last spring by which the letters for George
town college, before being delivered TO the mes
over by Elason and mrs. Blackford, the superin-
tendent together This was done Ostensloly TO
determine whether the letters were not rfled after
they had LETT the post-oilice but at that time Mr.
Bell was beginning TO suspect EiiasOn. After this
plan was adopted there was no further complaint
OF robberies from the college, though other letters
were from time to time reported missing.
LETTERS AGAIN MISSING.
When the college session was resumed this fall
the strict scrutiny OF the college letters was re-
Taxed, and again robberies were reported. These
facts all tended to strengthen the suspicion that
had been growing that Elias0n was the culpnL
so yesterday, when the decoy letter was missed,
the inspectors went TO Eliason with some conf
dence that they would ind the money In his pos
session. There have been various sums OF money
missing from the finds OF the branch ONCE At dif-
lerent times, and which the superintendent, Mrs.
Biackrord, has been obliged to make up. Recently
10 deposit in the bank and at one time the amount
was found To be go short, and on the other occa-
sion s..
THE COLLEGE LETTERS.
Father Doonan, president OF the Georgetown
College. when asked by a STAR reporter this morn
ing as to the amount supposed to have been lost
by the students through the mall, replied that II
would be difficult TO say, rs the failure OF
the students TO receive money when notified
that the same had been mailed has been go
lug on for aboSt year ald q hall, and that sums
ranging from 81 10 $40 have been missed
Within that time. About year ago Father WEIGH
had $40 mailed TO him. which UP 10 this time he
has JAILED 10 receive. The last amount known TO
have Iaied in ching IT'S destination at the college
was SO sent to John O'Neai. During the time OF
these robberies the college has never lost cent,
as remittances were made by money orders,
checks. and urakfS.
Father Doonan is of the opinion that $500 will
cover the amount lost by the students ana Father
Welch. ION more than one occasion, resumed
Father Doonan, Il have noticed the mali. which
generally handle, had been tempered with by some
one who thought, no doubt, that the letters con-
tanned money, but in these cases no money had
been incosed."
Eliason has wife and two children and was a
member OF ST. Johns p. +. church lie received a
salary OF 600 year, but IL Is stated his manner
or living Indicated much larger annual eXpendi-
once to-day and had talk with Postmaster Con.
ger, in which he still protested his innocence.